Rebuilding the Immortal Cultivator Clan Chapter 1853: 1395: Disguise_2

Both of them were consumed by their own cultivation, leaving no time to keep him company.

It was only during this escape from external threats that Li Zhirui spoke more with Five Elements and recognized the problem.

This isolation was highly detrimental to the growth of Five Elements, for he was no longer a mere spiritual object—he had become a sentient living being!

While his original form was of such high quality that he possessed the cultivation of the Realm of Human Immortality without much effort, he could not simply remain at a standstill.

To advance his realm, the development of his mental state and Dao heart were crucial. Currently, however, he was as pure as a sheet of white paper, or more accurately, a sheltered flower in a greenhouse.

Without life experience, how could his mental state and Dao heart ever mature?

Li Zhirui sank into deep thought, searching for a viable solution.

Could he let Five Elements train by his side? He immediately dismissed the thought. Setting aside the massive disparity in their power, the danger of traveling together was too great!

The true origin of Five Elements was easily recognizable. An immortal-rank spiritual root that had attained intelligence would stir up unimaginable storms in the cultivation world.

Such a burden was far beyond what Li Zhirui or the Li family could currently withstand!

Suddenly, a flash of inspiration hit him.

While taking Five Elements into the Primal Spirit Realm was too risky, he could send him into the Five Elements Small Realm instead!

In that place, there would be no fear of his origin being exposed or facing outside dangers, and he could grow alongside the world itself.

A Minor Thousand World in the midst of rapid expansion would provide ample space for his training and offer many new experiences.

“Five Elements, would you like to visit a small world to play? You could watch how a world evolves,” Li Zhirui suggested, feeling confident in this plan.

Hearing this, Five Elements initially swayed with excitement, but then paused as if remembering something. He asked tentatively, “Is that allowed? I won’t cause any trouble, will I?”

“Of course it is fine! You played a part in the opening of that small world; how could you be a burden?” Li Zhirui felt a pang of heartache at the child’s cautiousness and quickly offered comfort.

“Then I am happy.” Five Elements relaxed, his voice filled with anticipation. “I want to go! When do we leave?”

“I will teach you a secret technique first. Once you master it, you can enter the small world.”

Li Zhirui reached into the depths of his storage treasure and produced a jade slip, instructing Five Elements to study it and ask if anything was unclear.

“The Fruit Embryo Incarnation Secret Technique?”

This was an obscure technique specifically designed for spiritual objects that had gained intelligence but were unable to achieve human transformation in the short term.

The process was straightforward: one had to split a portion of their soul and manifest it within a spirit fruit. If no fruit was available, a spell could be used to cultivate a spiritual embryo. Through constant nurturing, one could eventually forge a Tao body incarnation to move about freely, no longer tethered to a single spot.

Five Elements was able to skip the initial steps by using a spirit fruit to house his incarnation, saving a significant amount of time.

The technique was not overly complex, and under the careful tutelage of Li Zhirui, he mastered the basics in just a few days.

All that remained was for the process to mature over time.

Having stayed within the secret realm for several days, Li Zhirui calculated that the Ten Thousand Spirits Alliance cultivators should have departed, so he prepared to leave.

In the midst of the desolate mountains, a figure suddenly materialized—it was Li Zhirui!

Scanning the landscape, he remembered the events that had unfolded there.

Fortunately, the danger had passed. Since his identity was well-concealed, the Ten Thousand Spirits Alliance shouldn't be able to trace him back to his family.

After masking his Qi and wiping away any lingering traces of his presence, Li Zhirui’s tall frame vanished into thin air.

Only the wild grass, bending in the wind, remained as a witness to his presence.

***

Elsewhere.

“Have any leads been discovered?” a Heavenly Immortal inquired of a subordinate entering the hall.

The Ten Thousand Spirits Alliance refused to let the matter go, obsessed with identifying the human cultivator who had appeared so suddenly from the secret realm.

Even if they had lost the trail, they were determined to find answers through other means!

“Respected Patriarchs, the secret realm is set to close today. Do we have specific instructions?” The clan member carefully sidestepped the question.

It was common knowledge that the Heavenly Immortal patriarchs had been in a foul mood since failing to capture the human, so everyone tried to avoid the subject.

“The closure is today?”

One of the Heavenly Immortals regained his focus and commanded, “Gather the disciples to welcome back our kin in celebration.”

***

The portal to the secret realm pulsed with light as one figure after another stepped out.

After fifteen minutes, the flow of people stopped, and the gateway slowly faded, dissolving back into the fabric of the world.

“Why are the casualties so high?”

The patriarch recalled that tens of thousands of members had entered, yet barely half had returned, many of them bearing grievous wounds.

“The realm was far too perilous. Aside from those powerful Heavenly Immortals, the creatures in other regions were much stronger than ordinary cultivators. Many of our kin were simply outmatched and fell in battle...”

The report instantly dampened the celebratory mood, replacing it with a heavy silence.

“What is the status of the resource extraction?”

“Many hostile entities remain. It will require a massive investment of manpower and spirit stones to fully secure the area.”

“Sigh!”

The Heavenly Immortals shook their heads in frustration. “There is no rush. We will wait.”

Then, one of the patriarchs brought up the incident regarding the mysterious human Heavenly Immortal, hoping that among the returning thousands, someone might have seen something.

“A human Heavenly Immortal?”

Members of a small tribe who had encountered Li Zhirui earlier—when he was asking about natural treasures—exchanged glances. Without hesitation, they raised their hands and shouted, “We have information!”

“Oh?”

The patriarchs’ eyes locked onto them instantly. They were brought to the front and questioned, “What do you know?”

They explained how a cultivator had crossed their path just before the secret realm opened.

“Do you recall his appearance?”

“We don't remember clearly, but our Sect leader had the most interaction with him. He should know.”

“Excellent!”

The Heavenly Immortals were rejuvenated. With a lead, they could track the target down and eliminate the threat of information leaking about their high-rank secret realm.

The leader of that small clan felt a mix of terror and excitement at being addressed by so many powerful patriarchs.

“Leader, the Elders require your memory...” a tribesman explained.

“I see. Yes, I remember that man’s face vividly. I can produce an image right now.”

He took out a jade slip and, after a respectful bow to the elders, began to manifest his memory within the stone.

Shortly after, a jade slip containing Li Zhirui’s likeness was completed.

“Well done.”

The Heavenly Immortals studied the image, burning the face into their minds.

However, their efforts were entirely in vain.

The face recorded by the clan leader was not Li Zhirui’s actual face, but a disguise he had crafted.

Since his early days of low cultivation, he had maintained the habit of changing his appearance to protect his family while traveling. Even now, as a powerful Heavenly Immortal at the peak of the Primal Spirit Realm, he had never abandoned this precaution.

Li Zhirui himself likely didn't realize that this simple habit had just saved him and his entire clan from a catastrophic confrontation.